Fourth of July entertainment guide: Music, fireworks and more

D.C.\'s fireworks on July 4 can be seen across the Potomac River. (Stephen J. Boitano/Getty Images News/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON – It just wouldn’t be an Independence Day celebration without a fireworks display.

Though fireworks can be fun, they can also be dangerous and illegal in some areas. In 2011, fireworks injured almost 10,000 people and there are more fires caused by fireworks on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Here are the fireworks laws in the D.C. area. Click the links for detailed information:

Washington, D.C., and Loudoun County – Fireworks that explode are not allowed. D.C. also bans sparklers more than 20 inches long and fireworks “intended to move after the piece is placed and fired.” Loudoun says a firework that “moves across the ground” also is illegal.

D.C. has provided a map of fireworks retailers in the District for area residents who live in places where some fireworks are allowed.

Here are fireworks displays and Fourth of July entertainment in Northern Virginia:

Alexandria – Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison St., Alexandria, Virginia. Alexandria celebrates its birthday and has fireworks on Saturday, July 13, 2013. The festivities will be from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Enjoy a concert by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

Culpeper – Culpeper, Va., plans a day of events on July 4, starting with a 5K race at 8 a.m. and a dog walk at 10 a.m. A car and bike show is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Depot and Davis Street. The Main Street parade starts at 4 p.m. Yowell Meadow Park is where you’ll find the food and entertainment. Fireworks at the park start at about 9:15 p.m.

City of Fairfax – Independence Day Parade through downtown Fairfax, Va., beginning at 10 a.m. The Old-Fashioned Fireman’s Day at 4081 University Drive starts at 12:30 p.m. Musical entertainment begins at 7 p.m. at Fairfax High School with a fireworks display at dark.

Falls Church – George Mason High School, 7124 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, V. Live music will start at 7 p.m. followed by fireworks at 9:20 p.m.

Manassas – 9431 West St., Manassas, Va. Lots of music, children’s activities, food and fireworks, including Matt Enik and Cirque Italia performances. Entertainment at the Old Town train depot begins with kids’ rides at 3 p.m. and food vendors at 4 p.m. Fireworks at 9:15 p.m.

McLean – Langley High School, 6520 Georgetown Pike McLean, Va. Grounds open at 8 p.m., fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Free admission and parking. Shuttle buses will be available from St. John’s Lutheran Church (on Douglass St. and Georgetown Pike) and the McLean Community Center.

Mount Vernon – 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Va. – Mount Vernon plans a special July 4 daytime fireworks display over the Potomac River starting at 1 p.m. The first couple, General and Mrs. Washington, will visit. Admission is $17 for adults age 12-61, $16 for seniors age 62 and over, $8 for kids age 6-11, and children age 5 and younger are free.

Williamsburg – At Colonial Williamsburg, Va., celebrate the holiday with a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence, performances by the Fifes and Drums, an open-air performance by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and fireworks in a patriotic setting. Events begin at 10 a.m. The Declaration of Independence will be read at noon. A Parade of Flag starts at 3:30 p.m. Fireworks at 9:20 p.m. Busch Gardens Williamsburg celebrates with a patriotic tribute on July 4. Park performances begin at 5:30 p.m. and culminate with the Tour de Force: Fireworks Finale at 9:30 p.m.

Here are fireworks displays and Fourth of July entertainment in Maryland:

Annapolis – Annapolis City Dock, Annapolis, Md. — Parade and fireworks: Parade starts at 6:30 p.m. at Amos Garrett Boulevard to West Street, around Church Circle, down Main Street to the City Dock. Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Naval Academy’s Concert Band will perform at the end of City Dock just prior to the fireworks.

College Park – University of Maryland, College Park, Md. Parking Lot 1, off Campus Drive near the University Boulevard/Adelphi Road entrance. The Rock & Roll Relics play at 7 p.m. Fireworks around 9 p.m.

Fourth of July at the National Archives – The National Archives celebrates July 4 with family programs, including a reading of the Declaration of Independence at 10 a.m. Meet Revolutionary figures, including Benjamin Franklin and John Hancock between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Capitol Fourth Concert, West Lawn of the U. S. Capitol, 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Admittance begins at 3 p.m.). Tom Bergeron hosts. Barry Manilow, Candice Glover, Scotty McCeery are among the preformers. The National Symphony Orchestra performs. John Williams conducts music from the movie, “Lincoln.” The concert is free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary. The annual event will be broadcast live on PBS. The fireworks on the National Mall begin at 9:10 p.m.

4th of July Fireworks on the National Mall. – Fireworks begin 9:10 p.m. and will last 17 minutes. The rain date is July 5. The fireworks are launched from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The National Park Service says these are the best places to see the fireworks:

U.S. Capitol;

Lincoln Memorial;

National Mall between 14th Street and 3rd Street;

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial;

Thomas Jefferson Memorial;

The White House Ellipse;

West Potomac Park;

East Potomac Park;

Anacostia Park;

U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima);

George Washington Memorial Parkway across the Potomac River in Virginia.